From Here On Out
by Erin or Lindsay
Summary: All Linstead one shots from a list of prompts I posted on tumblr.
1. Morning After

A/N: Here is the list that I posted on tumblr. I'm also going to be writing whatever else is added to it

post/108359605189/linstead-things-i-want-this-season

* * *

Jay felt the sun streaming in through his curtains. He also felt a weight keeping his arm down and fingers laced with his., holding it against silky skin. A smile grew on his face when he brushed a piece of hair out the way to see Erin. He wanted this moment to be the one he would always remember when he thought of her. Peaceful, vulnerable, a small smile on her lips. It was everything that she tried to hide from anyone else. But not him. He placed a kiss on her bare shoulder. Trailing up her neck to the shell of her ear.

He whispered, "good morning, sunshine," in the softest voice he could before continuing to place gentle kisses on her. Going up her jaw line, to her cheek bone. Placing a feather like kiss on her furrowing brow, down her nose. All before one last one on her lips. He felt her smile into the kiss, lashes brushing against his cheek. She pulled away and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

"Hi." A blush crawled up her neck when she felt him looking at her. "What time does Voight want you in today?"

"Unless we get a case, he said 9." He saw he nod. "What about you? What time do the big bad Feds start their day?"

"Um. Lang said be in office by 8:30. And right now it's only," she moved to the side table to unlock both of their phones, checking for messages. "6:25. Do you always wake up this early, Halstead?"

"No, only because I have a beautiful woman my side." He could feel her smiling against his skin, and he wished he could have this everyday.

"So last night. That was -uh- wow." He ended with a breathy laugh.

"Yeah." She laughed along with him, not knowing where to bring this. "I know this is cliche, but I wish we did that earlier." She burrowed her face further into the neck.

"No, hey don't do that." He pulled away from her to look at her. "Those eyes. God, I could get lost in those every day."

"I'm sorry Jay." His look of confusion made her go on. "About everything. If I had never insisted that we kept it professional then maybe.."

"No Erin. Don't think about that. Because as much as I hate admitting this, Voight would have been right." He saw the look on Erin's face, ready to argue. "Just think about it, I could have complicated everything. How many times have we looked death in the eye? Last year when that guy at the hospital had a knife to your throat I was ready to shoot him where he stood. If we were together then I actually would have."

"I see where you're going with this." Erin kissed underneath his jaw. "When you went under with J.P, I was so scared he was going to give you up. I was riding with Hank, and every time JP got a call Hank would look at me to see how I take it. I couldn't let him see how scared I was. If I did, well he would have thought about kicking your ass."

"I'm glad you came over last night." Jay smiled at her before he made a move out to get out of bed. "Waffles or pancakes?"

"Pancakes." Erin was baffled at the fact that Jay Halstead was making her breakfast. She watched him slide boxers up his muscular legs and laugh when he caught her staring. She still laid in his bed, trying to get a grip at what just happened. When she could smell the food, Erin made her way around his room like she'd been doing it for years. Grabbing his shirt from last night and her underwear from the door way.

Erin looked through his living room into the kitchen to see Jay singing. She realized that this was what she had been missing out on. Jay obviously cared alot about her, and she could see that it wasn't just a physical attraction. She wanted it all to work with him. Because he was it for her. She was his world, and he was her one and done. Erin smiled at the thought of this every morning, him making her breakfast and being the most amazing man in the world. She walked out and sat at the counter next to the stove where he was. Because they were meant to be together, weather that meant in work or outside of work.


	2. Maybe One Day

Erin lasted at the task force for about 2 more weeks after they slept together the first time. They had a huge bust gone wrong in Bolivia. With the stress of that, and Lang hitting on her to make up for it, Erin cracked. Jay and Erin had been in touch when she was away and he offered to pick her up from the office.

Jay knew that she was already pissed off when she called him for a ride after their briefing. Recognizing the tone in her voice, he broke every traffic law to get to the DEA so she wouldn't decide to direct her anger towards him. He could see her smiling at him as soon as he rounded the corner. Jay jumped out of the car when he put the car in park, expecting her to need help with her go bag. What he didn't expect was a small box full of the few things she decided to move to this desk: her grenade paperweight, a picture of her with the Voight's, and a picture of her and Jay. The picture that she had was his favorite. They were at Molly's one night and Kim snapped it, capturing Jay staring at Erin while she looked away.

She put her stuff on the ground and took two steps towards him, closing the distance, before wrapping her arms around his waist. "I missed you," she mubbled against his chest. She could feel the vibrations from his laugh go right through her body.

"I missed you too." He dropped a kiss against her head before whispering, "so much more than you can imagine." The two of them stood their for another moment, letting them soak in this moment, before he began to pull away. "Let's get this stuff in the car, and then you can tell me why you have this box." The look he gave her was a careful one, as if she would explode the moment he said the wrong thing. But she didn't. She casually shrugged her shoulders and got in the car.

As she waited for him to get in the car, Erin thought about the way that she wanted to word her explanation. She felt the shake of the car and the slam of the door before she turned to look at him. "I quit." She didn't turn to look at him as she said these words, but she knew that he was shocked. "I couldn't do it, and I admit that I was wrong." She waited for an I told you so, but it never came. And it wouldn't, not from Jay atleast. She felt him take her hand in his and start the car away from the building.

It took less than fifteen minutes to make their way back to Erin's apartment, in which neither of them spoke. When he pulled up in front of her apartment, Jay went around the car, opened her door and stood there. "Let's go inside." She looked at him with curious, hopeful eyes. "I told Voight I wouldn't be coming back into work." Erin nodded and unbuckled her seat but she didn't get up, only turned so she faced Jay and he stood between her legs. When she turned, he got a good look at the beautiful face he had missed and took it in. The way that her dimples still showed when she was being serious. And how her eyes were a grungy green but they were the kindest ones he had ever met. But he also saw the pain, and exhaustion on it. The bags heavy under those eyes, and the dirt that looked like it was permanently stained on her skin. What caught his attention the most was the cut, already scabbed over, tracing down from her ear to the middle of her jawline.

"I need this Jay. Us." He understood what she meant by it, but the look on her face, the pained look. Something didn't feel right with Jay and something definitely wasn't right with Erin and the way that she was acting. But Jay just nodded his head, took her hand and lead her up to her apartment. His hands took the keys from hers and unlocked the door, pushing her in before himself. He grabbed her jacket, shrugging it off of her body and hung it up. He motioned for her to sit on the couch before anything else could happen.

"Talk to me."

"I couldn't do it." Erin pulled her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. "The way they function, it's not how I thought it would be. That CI from my first case, I don't think she ever got paid. Lang, he was hitting on me today after the briefing. Told me that I was responsible for Bolivia and if I wanted to stay, well he could probably find a way for me to make it up somehow." Erin noticed how Jay's fists clenched at her words. "I don't belong there Jay, I belong here. At home with my family." She looked at him for what feels like the first time in weeks. His blue eyes hitting the deepest parts of her, giving her a warmth inside.

"You deserve that spot, Erin. It doesn't matter who's fault it was. That's sexual harassment!" His anger caused Jay to stand up, only to have Erin pulled him back down closer to her.

"No Jay. I deserve to be with you here. The Chicago Police Department is where I started this life fourteen years ago. It's where I found a family with Voight." She laced her fingers with Jay, resting her forehead against his. "And it's where I found One Day with you." His eyes crinkled when he let out a little chuckle.

"Ah. The infamous one day." He paused a moment and let his face get serious. "But Erin what if I don't want one day?" When he paused, thinking of his next words, he saw the hurt look in her eyes. "What if I want today, tomorrow, and everyday after that? Because I want everything with you, Erin. I want a one day every single day, the good ones and the bad ones." Jay could see her pulling away, distancing herself so she wouldn't get hurt. "I'm not proposing or asking you to move in. I'm just saying, I want this to be more than just us sleeping around. I want to be the person you go to after you've had a bad day, and not just as a way to work off the stress. I want us to be able to talk about everything." He pushed curl out of her face and behind her ear, catching his fingers under her chin and forcing her to look at him. He gave her a gentle smile, hoping that she'll give him something. "I want to know about your family, you and Teddy growing up. I want to know what Voight was like when you and Justin were kids. I want to know if Voight threatened your prom date. Erin, I don't want just you. I want to know all of you, even the bad stuff."

Erin moved so her legs rested on top of his, letting her head lean on his chest. Her fingers traced light patterns against his t-shirt. "You know I'm not good at this Jay."

"Just give me something to work with."

"Every Sunday morning Camille, Voight's wife, she would make us breakfast. By the time I came downstairs Hank would be reading the paper or playing with Justin. It was what I always pictured a normal family like." Jay dropped a kiss onto her head. "That's what I've pictured my family would be like." Jay ran his fingers through Erin's curls until he felt her breathing go even and deep. He moved to press another kiss against her temple.

"I'll give you that, one day."


	3. Jay Tells Erin About The Army

3\. Jay telling Erin about the Army.

It was a slow Thursday in intelligence. Around 6, Voight to everyone to pack up and head home. Erin stood against the filing cabinet waiting for Jay so they could go home.

"I already ordered the subs so we can just pick them up on our way home." They had been dating for around 4 months now and Jay moved into Erin's place a week ago. They told Voight a week or two after Erin came back, which didn't go as bad as expected. Voight threw a punch, Jay took it and that was that.

They started to walk away when Jay's phone rang. "I gotta get this. Go ahead I'll meet you in the car." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips and when to grab the phone. "Halstead."

Erin had been waiting in the car for around 10 minutes. She texted Jay asking where he was, but she got no response. She decided to go back inside just to make sure that he was okay. Impossible senarios ran through her head, too many what if's came to her in the short walk from the car to the stairs. Taking them two by two, Erin was up the stairs and down the hall in seconds. She didn't see Jay at his desk, but instead he was on the floor, leaning against the file cabinet and staring at an invisible spot on the wall. She walked over and squatted down in front of him, rubbing a soft hand up and down his side.

"Jay?" He shook his head at nothing in particular. "Come on, just look at me." Jay lifted his head a little, but enough for Erin to his red rimmed eyes that held unshed tears. "Oh, God Jay. What happened?" Erin wrapped an arm around his neck and the other to his back, rubbing small circles through his leather jacket. She could feel the tears rolling down his face, going onto her neck .

"A uh- kid I was deployed with," he mummbled into her neck. His breath, hot and ragged against her neck. He shook his head, showing Erin he couldn't go on.

"Oh Jay. I'm so sorry." They sat like that, on the ground, for another minute or two. "Let's go home. I'll drop you off so you can shower and I'll go get the subs. And then when I get back we can talk if you want." He stood up first, fixing his jacket, before helping her off the ground. The walk to the car was short, but Jay wouldn't let go of her hand. Erin could still hear his choppy breathing, as if he was going to break down any second. He opened the driver's side door for Erin, pulling her in for a tight hug before she could get in the car. His arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her as close to him that he could. They got in their respective sides, only for Jay to once again hold Erin's hand in his own. He traced along the lines and veins, the slight imperfections that made her perfect.

"Don't drop me off, I'll come with you."

"Jay. You should go relax a little."

"No. Erin, I-." Jay needed to take a deep breath to calm himself down. "I can't be alone right now." Erin nodded, rubbing her thumb in circles against his skin.

"Alright."

Twenty minutes later they were in their apartment, shoes off and feet up with beers and subs. The sat side by side on the couch, mindlessly watching the Blackhawks game. Every now and then Erin would glance over to Jay, and he would do the same. As if they were making sure that the other was still there. Halfway through the second period, Erin got up to get rid of their plates and get another beer. When she returned she found Jay sitting with his head in his hands. She sat facing him, calmly rubbing his back, waiting for him to turn to her. It took a couple of minutes, but he held her hand in his own.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She heard him take in a deep breath and blow it straight out.

"His name is," he cut himself off knowing he needed to use the past tense now. "Was. His name was Noah. I served with him on my last tour, three years ago." Jay shifted in his seat, pulling Erin closer to him. He wrapped an arm behind her and let his hand play with her hair, running his fingers through those tangled blonde curls that drive him crazy. "When I met him, Noah was 18. He enlisted as soon as he possibly could. He grew up in a small boondock town in Kentucky, small enough that everyone knew everything at anytime, and he was just a shadow trying to stay away from their prying eyes." With Erin's head resting on his chest, she could feel his heartbeat that was a little too fast for her liking.

"In the unit he was obviously the youngest, so he was deemed the nickname The Kid. I took him under my wing, I already knew this would be my last tour so I wanted him to be the best he could be. Fourteen months in Afghanistan. That whole time the kid was stuck to my ass like glue. He seemed to be dealing with everything over there as well as a kid could, his first fire fight though was tough. We were all standing around talking about our families and girls back home and then the guy next to me, Zack, he just dropped. I looked at Noah and he froze for a second, I could see he was having a tough time breathing and he couldn't keep his eyes off Zack. Then shots started going off all around us and Noah still wasn't moving, so I pulled him down behind a wall and told him to just stay there. After that day, Noah was changed. He did have that childish gleam in his eye anymore." His fingers paused in her hair a moment while she drew patterns on his chest.

"I was sent stateside twelve months after that. I kept in touch with him, sending him letters and packages when I could but it got tough. A year ago, Noah took a leave of absence for his sisters wedding back home. He left a couple days early, flew up here and we spent a couple days catching up. God it was crazy, it was like he wasn't even the same person. He grew up so much since I had last seen him and it made me realize how young he actually was." Jay's voice began to crack when he felt the tears burning his eyes. A couple Of tears rolled down his cheek and landed on Erin's own cheek. She sat up and held his stubbled cheek in her hand, pressed a kiss to his other cheek as she let her shirt soak up his tears.

"He was so young Erin. He was my brother and I should have been there to protect him." He could barely choke out the words. "I should have saved him." He could feel the vibrations from her voice against his chest, but he couldn't hear anything she was saying. All he could hear was Noah's voice and his laugh.


	4. Erin Meets Jay's Brother

A/N: I know this isn't part of the list but I just had to write this before it comes out. It's just a short little version of what I think will happen.

**Erin meets Jay's brother.**

Jay was leaning against his kitchen counter drinking his beer, waiting for Erin to get out of the shower. She had gotten home earlier than he did today due to all of the paperwork that Jay had put off this week. Since she didn't have any beer or food at her place, she opted to go to his place and take a shower. When he was putting away his empty beer bottle he heard the shower turn off and watched Erin walk into his bedroom in a towel. He laughed as she easily made her way around his room as if she had been doing it for years. She took out underwear from the small pile of clothes she kept there and grabbed one of his old t shirts.

"Do you own any of your own pajamas?"

"Yes, Detective Halstead, I do." Erin walked over and stood her own feet between his, slipping one hand around his neck into his hair. "But they're all back at my apartment. And yours is just more convenient to go to." She rolled onto her tip toes and kissed him, letting her lips linger a few seconds before pulling back. "Now I think it's your turn to shower, cause you smell a little like sweat and Ruzek's nasty body spray." Jay let out a laugh as he walked away. Before he got to the bathroom he turned around to the kitchen.

"Order some takeout. I'm starving and I haven't eaten since I had your sandwich at lunch." She called in to their usual Chinese restaurant and took out another beer while she waited for Jay to get out. She never could understand why Jay always took long showers, much longer than hers. So Erin wasn't too surprised when she heard the shower shut off the same time that the doorbell rang.

"That's probably the food. I'm taking money from your wallet. Yeah? Thanks!" She heard him muffle a yell through the door down the hallway, but she disregarded it anyway. She grabbed the money and opened the door to find a man. A good looking man who seemed surprised and was lacking Chinese food.

"Hi."

"Hi. I'm sorry I probably have the wrong address. I'm looking for Jay Halstead?"

"Uh no you're at the right place." The young man nodded at her correction. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Oh of course, my bad. I'm-"

"Ryan?" Jay emerged from around the corner in his sweatpants. He got out of the bathroom and heard Erin talking to a voice that was familiar. He thought that they had been ordering Chinese too often that he knew the delivery mans voice, but this voice was all too familiar.

"Hey Jay." Jay side stepped around Erin and wrapped this man in a hug, not a man hug with the handshake. But a genuine hug. Erin felt slightly exposed in only a t shirt and slipped away from the warm encounter to grab some pants.

"Come on inside." Jay shut the door once the three of them were moved back into the living room. "Sorry about that, we're just waiting for some food. If I knew you were coming I would have ordered more." Erin stood between the two men, taking in the similarities. Same hair color, same freckles, same crystal blue eyes.

"No I just wanted to drop by. See how you're doing." Ryan looked over at Erin and gave her a soft smile. "Clearly you're doing just fine. Jay are you going to introduce me?"

"Erin this is Doctor Ryan Halstead, my little brother. Ryan this is the one and only Detective Erin Lindsay, my partner and my girlfriend." Jay looked Erin as if to make sure it was okay. She gave him a soft smile back before turning to Ryan.

"It's nice to meet you. Sorry I didn't let you in earlier I was a little shocked that you weren't carrying any Chinese food."

"Don't worry about it." He let out the same throaty laugh as Jay. "But it's great to finally meet you. Now I can put a face to the name that my big brother doesn't shut up about." They both turned to Jay who's face was beginning to turn a little pink.

"Does he now?" Erin smirked at the new found information. Her attention was pulled away when there was another knock on the door. "Hopefully that's the food. Unless you have some more relatives planning to stop by?" Jay shook his head at her and smiles as she walked away.

"She seems great, Jay. You seem happy. I've been here less than five minutes and I can already see that she has you wrapped around her finger."

"Yeah yeah yeah." Jay pushed his little brother. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Glancing between Ryan and Erin, he watched her pay the delivery boy and grab the bag of food. He watched her face turn towards him, covered in that clueless confused face he thinks is adorable. She brought the food into his kitchen and opened a box.

"Ryan," he got his brothers attention with a hushed voice. "She's the one. She makes everything in my life better. She made the nightmares stop. And you know that I couldn't do anything to stop them before."

"That's good Jay. Really I'm happy for you. You should bring her back home, you know mom would love to meet her."

"Yeah I know. I just want to give it some time." The Halstead men turned and watched Erin in the kitchen, shoving a fork full of noodles into her mouth. They both gave her that same smirk, Ryan a more surprised and Jay a loving one.

"Oh yeah Jay Jay," Ryan smacked his brothers arm. "She's definitely the girl for you."


	5. Erin Comforts Jay on Ben's Anniversay

A/N: I know it's been a while since I updated but I couldn't get this chapter right for a while.

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The two of them lay in bed with nothing but the light from the alarm clock illuminating the room. Erin's head rested on Jay's rising and falling chest, her arm was thrown across his stomach. He could feel her steady breaths, blowing hot against his skin. He knew that she was fast asleep while he was staring at the ceiling, willing sleep to come to him. The brisk Chicago air bringing back memories of a day in late January that he would never forget.

The feeling in his stomach as he walked over to those reeds in the marsh dropped into a pit when he recognized the small shoe poking out from the greenery, a shoe that he had nearly tripped over just last night. With his partner a mere feet behind him, Jay shoved back a handful of the reeds and immideately wish that he hadn't. One look at the boy's brown locks that were matted to his forehead had Jay emptying the contents on his stomach. He felt the moments rushing by like seconds, having his world slow down to one split second when when the detectives said a name that threw Jay into a spiral. Ben Corson.

Even years later, his heart rate still picks up and his burning skin breaks out into a sweat. The sheets feel as if they keep tightening around his body the more he struggles, but he tries harder to get away. To escape this haunting nightmare. Until a pair of cool hands hold his body still, whispering his name to come back. His eyes open quickly, trying to take in surroundings to make sure he isn't back in that marsh. He finds her eyes, catching the moonlight in them, staring back at him. He can see the concern in them, silently wondering how many other times he screamed until he woke himself. His hand slides up to hers, his clammy one sticking to her cool skin that was laying on his chest. For the first time that night, he can feel how ragged his breathing is and how erratic his heart is beating.

"Jay? Hey it's alright it was just a bad dream." His hand still gripped hers while her other was on his face. "Look at me you're okay now. You're safe." His eyes closed for a moment when he felt her hair slide across his skin. The feel of her lips on his forehead cooled his burning skin. He opened his eyes again and they began to burn with unshed tears. A lone tear escaped, rolling down his cheek only to be stopped by Erin.

Erin laid down next to him. She pulled him into her arms with her fingers threading in his hair. She didn't feel any tears, just the hot breaths he puffed out every couple of seconds.

"You wanna talk about it?" She angled her head to look at him. For a second, the scared look in his eye made her forget that he was the man who didn't hesitate to get in the car with a hitman so he could save others. No. For a moment, he looked like a scared boy who's life flashed before his eyes. And Erin knew what Jay had been through. She knew he saw things oversees that he would probably never forget about. But she's never seen him so vulnerable before.

"No, I-." Jay took a breath to steady his breathing. "I just want to lay here." The early morning ticked by peacefully and when the sun began to shine through the curtains Erin got out of bed to start the coffee. When she came back with two mugs, she found Jay sitting in the edge of the bed. Elbows on knees, holding his head in his hands. She put the two mugs down on the nightstand and climbed on the bed behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Talk to me Jay." Her head was against his back, so she felt him inhale deeply before he moved. He turned his body so she was on top of him.

"You know about my past with the Corsons. About Ben." She gave him a slight nod. "Well, after days like yesterday, completely exhausted to the bone, I dream of him. The night I found his body and had to tell Gail and Danny. The way that Ally cried in my arms night after night and I couldn't do anything about it."

"You were there for them. That's all that they could have asked for." Jay stared straight ahead, hoping the burning in his eyes would go away soon. But he knew they would be there all day.

* * *

They had a slow day, no new case, and paperwork all day. When Voight told them all to pack up and head home around 6 Jay was the first one out the door. Erin found him sitting in her car with his head against the window. She got in the car and started it without saying a word. Once she pulled out of the parking lot Jay broke the silence.

"You can just drop me off at my car. I have to go out and I probably won't be home for a while." She looked at him.

"Where are you going?" She was doubtful that he would tell her. But he's full of surprises these days.

"It's the anniversary of Ben." He felt the car slow to a full stop. "I go and sit at the grave and read a couple comic books that I gave to him before I left for basic training." Erin reached over and held his hand.

"Is that why the nightmares were so bad last night?" Jay nodded. "Can I come with you?" He lifted his head to look at her, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah. He would have loved you anyways."


	6. Linstead Dinner with Voight

5.

linstead dinner w/ voight

It's been a tense week in Intelligence. After they closed a tough case on Friday, Jay went to see his brother. His brother who recently found out that he is a father-to-be. While he was doing this, Erin thought that she would have a chat with Voight, because she and Jay and had decided that they couldn't keep it a secret. Not this time. Because they had already tried to keep it a secret, and look how that ended.

VOIGHTS OFFICE FRIDAY NIGHT

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about, kiddo?"

"I uh- I actually have something to tell you." Erin watched Voight's gaze travel from clock on his wall down to her eyes. "And I'm here telling you because I don't want you to flip out, because I know that you will. But I need to tell you because you need to know that-"

"You and Halstead are sleeping together," Hank said flatly. An incredulous look grew on Erin's face.

"No. Well yes. But were not just sleeping together." He pulled a face at what he thought she was insinuating. "No not that. This is more that us just sleeping together. I- I think I'm in love with him, Hank." He took a deep breath and nodded. "How did you know?"

"I've known that he's liked you, ever since he came into the unit. But as soon as you told everyone that you were leaving, it's been different. That night he had a look on his face like he just saw a puppy get shot." Erin let out a sigh, she hadn't known that she affected him that much. "And then you came back, and things were different. The way he looked at you was different, the way you looked at him was different. It- uh." Hank took a moment, scratching the back of his neck trying to think about how to say his next words. "It was the way that Camille and I used to look at each other."

"If you knew, then why would you tell us that we had to break up?" The more he talked, the more angry she got. "We had a good thing going Hank-"

"And from what you came in here to tell me, you two have a good thing once again."

"That's not the point Hank!"

"You know what? I never said anything to either of you if I remember correctly. You did that on your own." Erin couldn't believe what she heard from him. "Now. If you could just take a second and not yell at me, I want you to bring him over for dinner."

"Jay. Halstead. You want me to bring the one man you warned to stay away from me, to your house, for dinner?"

"Mhm. I want to know Jay Halstead, my kind of daughter's boyfriend. Not Detective Jay Halstead, the kid in the unit."

JAY'S APARTMENT SATURDAY MORNING

"He wants me to what?!"

"Come to dinner Sunday with me." The night before, Erin had texted Jay to let him know she would be at his apartment when he got home from his brother's. She was fast asleep and she looked too peaceful for him to wake up, so he climbed in next to her and waited until the morning.

"You're gonna be there, right?" She nodded with a small smirk on her face. "Good because I'm absolutely terrified that this is his plan to get rid of me." Erin laughed at his accusation.

"He wouldn't do that." He started to argue but she cut him of. "He wouldn't do that because he said you're good police. And he knows that you mean too much to me."

SUNDAY NIGHT

Jay hadn't said one word in the car to Voight's house. But as they pulled up to the house he looked out the window then back at Erin.

"Maybe you could just tell him I got sick and I couldn't come."

"No. Jay it's two hours tops. He's not going to do anything. Just give us some food, talk for a little bit. That's it." Erin got out and shut the door, not giving Jay a chance to say anything else. She opened his door, pulled him out by the hand and up the stairs to the porch.

"No key this time?" She knocked on the door while she looked at him.

"Not when we're having dinner at his house." The smirk fell off his face when the door swung open. "Hey Hank." Erin took a step into the house and gave him a hug.

"Hey kiddo." His gaze shifted from Erin to Jay, and he stuck a hand out to him. "Hey Jay."

"Sir." Jay slightly nodded his head and shook his hand.

An hour went by, they ate, drank and never once spoke of why he was here. Erin left Hank and Jay in the living room to go get more wine, and the look Jay shot her was terrifying. As soon as Erin was out of earshot, Jay spoke up.

"Sir, I know that you know about me and Erin. And I'm willing to take the consequences on my own. If we absolutely cannot work together, then I'm sure that I'll be able to find another unit that still has a spot open. Actually, I'm pretty sure that Gangs never filled my spot, so I can move back there. But I want you to know. No matter what happens or what you say. Me and Erin? We're staying together. Because she is the woman that I'm going to marry one day." After he finished rambling, Jay realized who he was talking to. He grew silent and waited for the older man to speak up.

"I respect you, Halstead. I know that you wanted to be upfront with me and you agreed to cool it off. That shows me the type of man you are outside my unit. And, despite what I thought, you are good enough for her." Jay sat there and stared at the man in front of him, waiting to see if he was joking. "Just remember that if you screw up the unit, or if you break her heart your body will be at the bottom of the Chicago River." Jay got his clarification at what his sargent meant.

"Everything okay here boys?" Erin came in and Jay was still speechless.

"Yeah," Voight spoke up, giving Jay a chance to gather his thoughts. "We're all good now. Right Halstead?"

"Absolutely. All good." A smirk grew on his face, slipping his had into Erin's he caught the slight nod that Voight threw at him.

Another hour goes by when Erin decides to call it a night. Voight walks the two detectives to the front door.

"Thanks Hank." Erin leans in to give him a hug.

"Anytime kiddo." She backs away and stands on the porch, waiting for Jay.

"Thank you sir." Jay extends a hand out and Voight gladly shakes it. "For everything."

"Just remember what I said Halstead." Jay nodded, walked over to Erin and slid his arm around her waist as they walked back to the car.

"What was that all about back there?"

"Nothing, just Voight giving us his okay."

"Well good." Erin turned against his arm, pinning him between her and the car door. "Because I kind of like you." Jay let a little laugh escape his mouth as he leaned towards her, leaving barely any space between their faces.

"I kinda like you too. I guess." He closes the distance and meets her lips in the middle, pressing a quick kiss against them before pulling back. "I think we should go home now, because I can still see Voight staring at us, and it's realy starting to scare me." His head picks up a little more, and Erin leans up to kiss his cheek.

"God, come on then."


	7. Erin and Jay Make Out in the Locker Room

A/N: I know it's been a while since I updated this, and technically this is 11 on the list but I'm getting a little stuck on the others.

**How 2x16 should have ended**

* * *

The coolness of his palm met the heat of her cheek. His dry eyes started to feel a little wet as she turned her head to lean into his hand. His own voice still echoes in his head from moments before. _Voight knows._ Something they've both known all day, but wouldn't admit it knowing it would lead to this. This conversation. This moment. And he knew that this was wrong, she didn't want this but he couldn't help himself. Not when he just got her.

"I can't, Erin." Her eyes went wide, tears that were already there just grew larger.

"Can't what?" He moved his hand off her cheek, tracing a line down her arm until he reached her hand. He held it in his, lacing their fingers together and pulling her a step closer so they were chest to chest.

"I-" He chuckled at himself, looking down at the ground shaking his head before looking back into her tearful eyes. "I can't let you go."

"Jay we'll lose our jobs." Her voice cracked, knowing the inevitable.

"I'll quit." He lowered his voice to a whisper, bringing his other hand up to knot itself in her hair. Forehead to forehead, a tear rolled down her cheek. "We can go in there right now and I'll quit. I can get a civilian job in the military, no overseas time. I'll have Will hook me up with a job at the hospital answering phones."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking me, I'm telling you."

"I don't want to be here if you're not my partner." Jay pulled her into his chest, her head rested against his shoulder blowing air with each breath against his skin. He moved to lean against the locker, pulling her with him.

"I guess this is why he has the rule." Erin moved her head off him to look at his eyes, full of tears. "Why is me wanting to make you happy such a horrible thing to him? Why does he have to make it so hard?"

"He didn't think I would fall in love with you." Jay studied her, the way her eyes had a glint when she said it. "He thought you were just gonna be an easy lay for me and you would get too attached. He never thought that I would be the one who was head over heels and heartbroken."

"I'll be right back. I just forgot something in my desk and then we can head out." He brushed his lips against her temple before walking out and leaving Erin standing in the locker room alone once again.

_In Voight's Office_

Jay didn't even give his sergeant a chance, he walked straight in without knocking.

"Halstead what can I do for you?"

"I'm in love with Erin. We'd like to date, but if you're really going to stick to your rules then fine." He unclipped his star from his belt, holding it in his hands for a moment before slapping it on the desk. "I'll find another job, but I'm in love with that woman. I love her and I would like to marry her someday. But right now, I just want to make her happy and she can't be happy if she's going behind your back."

"You're willing to give up your job for her?"

"There's nothing in this world that I wouldn't give up for her, sir. She's my whole world, and I would rather take a bullet than hurt her." Voight nodded, taking in the younger man's words. "Sir?"

"Is she happy? Truly happy."

"I like to believe that she is."

"I haven't seen her smile like this in a while. My wife, Camille, she used to say that her smile could light up a room."

"Erin told me a little about her, she sounds like an amazing woman, sir. And I'd like to have a woman like that in my life." Voight stood up, walked around the desk and put a gripped Jay's shoulder.

"You make her smile they way Camille talked about. All I want is for her to be happy, and you make her happy." He stuck a hand out for Jay to shake. "Just take care of her."

"Absolutely sir." Jay let a smile grow on his face, he turned to walk out of the office before turning in the doorway. "Thank you."

_Back in the Locker Room _

Erin stood against the locker, wondering what was taking him so long. Her head snapped up when she heard the door open, showing her partner standing in the doorway smiling.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing." He took a couple steps closer to her.

"Why are you smiling Jay." He shook his head, leaning down to kiss her cheek. Then her other cheek.

"I talked to your dad." He brushed a kiss against her lips, before feeling her pull back.

"What do you mean you talked to my dad?"

"I walked in there and told him that I'm in love with you, I want to make you happy for the rest of your life."

"Jay." She rested a hand on his cheek.

"He said yes." His smiling still growing, hers to match. Erin leaned forward, pulling Jay down to meet her halfway. She sighed against his lips, knowing that they would do this forever. His hands moved up, gripping her hips and pulling her against his body. He took steps, moving Erin so he back was against the lockers. Their lips moved in sync like every time they had before. His lips moved from her lips, trailing kisses down her cheek, to her neck. Her hands moved to his back, grabbing his shirt in her fist, she moved her head to the side giving him more access. He nipped the skin under her jaw, making his way down to her collarbone.

Jay moved back up the other side of her neck. He felt her hands go through his hair, gripping the roots. He slide his hands down her slides, tugging the belt loops before continuing down her thighs. With his hands resting on the back of her legs, he lifted her up, back still against the lockers.

"Jay," her raspy voice cutting through the silence. "We should go." His lips muffling her words. "Someone could walk in."

"Fine." He lowered her to the ground, giving her a kiss, pulling away to see her smiling. "Your smile lights up a room, you know that?"


	8. Linstead Dinner

_"Regarding you and Lindsay. I don't know what your relationship status is and I don't care. But I need to know that someone has her back twenty four hours a day." _

Jay was leaning against his desk, talking to Atwater about the game the other night when Erin walked in. She looked at him before she sat and smiled softly at him. He bit the corner of his lip, much like the way he did before he kissed her for the first time. He caught her eye again, this time jerking his head in the direction of the locker room, asking her to follow him. He stood against his locker, turning when he heard the door shut.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Nothing," He noticed that her eyes had the same shine that they did all those months ago when he thought nothing could ruin them. "I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're back."

"Yeah thanks." Erin smiled, tilting her head to the side. "Jay just spit it out."

"Do you want to grab dinner tonight? I know you probably have to check with Voight but the offers out there." Erin thought it over for a second before responding.

"Kuma's night?" She kept a smile on, a real smile, letting Jay know that she was doing a lot better than he thought.

"Black Sabbath burgers?" He saw her bite her lip, hoping he didn't cross a line.

"Absolutely. We can go after shift."

6 o'clock rolled around, and everyone began to pack up. Jay walked over to Erin's desk.

"You ready to head out?"

"Yeah, let me just tell Voight I'll be home late." She walked over towards the office, knocking on the door before walking in.

"Hey kid. I'm helping Al out with something so I won't be home right away."

"Actually, that's what I came to talk to you about." Voight nodded her on. "Jay asked me to go out to dinner with him. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be home until later."

"Okay, have a good time." Erin was shocked, she just told him that she was going out with Jay and he hadn't argued with her.

"What? You're not going to tell him to keep it in his pants? Remind us that you don't allow in-house romances?"

"You're an adult Erin. I trust that you'll make the right decisions." He motioned to Jay, who was laughing at something that Olinsky had said. "Me and him. We have an understanding." Erin's face just got more confused. "Just go have a good time tonight."

"Okay, thanks Hank. We'll both have our phones on." She walked out to where her partner was waiting. "I'm driving."

"Of course you are." He handed the keys over to her as they walked down the stairs

They sat at the table in comfortable silence, but both knowing something was different. They both got a Black Sabbath burger, just the way she liked it.

"This feels wrong, ya know?" Jay looked up to meet her eyes. "Being here, getting her burger without her. It just- It doesn't feel right." Erin broke eye contact and looked around the restaurant.

"Don't think of it like that. Think about it like we're celebrating."

"We don't have anything to celebrate Jay."

"You coming back? Me getting my partner back? I think that's something worth celebrating. And she would want us to come here, so she could celebrate with us." Jay picked up his beer, motioning for her to do the same. "To always having each other's backs. And to Nadia."

"To Nadia." Erin's voice was barely over a whisper, but there was a smile on her face. They both took a sip, Erin watching her partner as he glanced around at the other people. "She knew about us, ya know." His brows furrowed in confusion. "Nadia, she told me that she knew the whole time. And I didn't doubt her, considering I left your place after the first time at around 2 am."

"You could have stayed the night."

"I know, but I would have rather had you with me if I was going to stay. Anyway, I went home that night, and the second I walked through the door she starts going on and on about how she was worried and she didn't know if the task force was always going to work late hours." Erin paused, letting out a breathy laugh before continuing. "Then she said that next time I should text her that I'm staying at your place. She said my hair was '_too sexed up'_ to have just come from work and there's no one else who I would go to."

"Unbelievable." He was cut off by the waiter bringing their food. "She would have made one hell of a cop."

The rest of their dinner went on without a problem. They made small talk about the case, Erin telling him stories of Nadia. Once they finished their burgers, Jay grabbed the check from the waiter before Erin got a chance to reach for it.

"Alright, what's my cut." He looked up at her, confused. "We're splitting it 50/50."

"No we're not." He was already standing to put his jacket on, bills stuffed under the check.

"Jay-"

"No Erin. It's my treat. Think of it as the date I never got to take you on." He looked up in time to see a smile creep on her face. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip before smiling at her. "Come on, let's get you home." Her eyes flickered up to his, locking in seconds. It clicked for both of them, he said those words all those months ago when they were fake engaged and she had enough drinks in her to tell him about the crap she called a childhood.

"Tonight was nice, Jay. Thank you." As they walked back to the car, Erin reached out and grabbed his hand, stopping him feet away from the car. His eyes couldn't focus on one thing, moving from their hands to her eyes and then the car and back to her eyes. They had a way of doing that, drawing him to her, almost magnetic. "You know?" Erin's words came out in a whisper. "If this was a date you would kiss me."

"Would I?" He watched her pull her bottom lip between her teeth, nodding slightly. "Maybe I'm a third date type of guy. Make you wait it out, make sure you know what you want."

"Trust me, I know what I want." Her hand pulled him closer.

"You need to be sure, because this time, I'm not playing any games. This is it."

"This is it. You're it for me Jay." Her hand dragged him until they were chest to chest, toes nearly touching. "So are you gonna kiss me or what?"

He breathed out a chuckle, nodding at her. His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb swiped over her lips and he barely hid that smile as he brushed his lips to hers.


End file.
